GUY OSEARY TALKS MADONNA

When Madonna’s twelfth album, MDNA, debuts at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 today with Nielsen SoundScan-certified sales of 359,000, she’ll not only have the biggest first week of the year, but will instantly reinstate her place at the top of the pop heap.

That’s right, in this digital age of naysayers, haters, critics and cynics, Madonna is on her third decade of relevance. With MDNA, she trails only Barbra Streisand for the most chart-toppers ever by a female artist (Babs has nine, Madge is one shy) — an extraordinary musical and cultural feat. Still, some will inevitably credit controversy for MDNA’s out-the-gate success.

Have your pick of which one from recent months — the album title, which is a letter away from MDMA, the common name for the drug ecstasy; the Super Bowl halftime performance during which guest M.I.A. gave some 150 million people the finger; a permanent ban by Piers Morgan and subsequent Twitter spat between the talk show host and Madonna’s manager Guy Oseary; or a surprise appearance at Miami’s Ultra Music Festival in March, where Madonna took the stage alongside Avicii and instantly riled up a crowd of 100,000 by asking if anyone had seen “Molly,” the street name for ecstasy, a comment that prompted superstar DJ Deadmau5 to take her to task publicly. All have kept Madonna’s name in the headlines just as new music hit the market.

“All those things didn’t start with us,” Oseary says, shrugging off any insinuation that scandal is a step in the roll-out plan. “It’s just part of the gig.” Indeed, Oseary and his client of 22 years can explain away each one — the title has multiple meanings and came about like this, according to Oseary: “[Madonna] told me one day, ‘Here’s what I’m calling my album.’ And I went, ‘Cool.’ She had a vision.” As for M.I.A.? She acted on her own accord; Piers Morgan’s people continue to reach out for a booking despite the ban; and Madonna was referring to a song by producer and DJ Cedric Gervais called “Have You Seen Molly,” not the staple drug of all-night dance parties. What may be harder to wrap the head around is the continued omnipotence of the eighties-bred pop star, who’s already topped the iTunes charts in 35 countries with MDNA presales alone.

Truth be told, Madonna did little in the way of traditional promotion for the album, her first for Interscope after some 30 years at Warner Bros. She skipped the club shows, the late night lead guest slot and the Diane Sawyer interview. Her only broadcast sit-down was with Jimmy Fallon on Facebook. She premiered her single at the Super Bowl and her video on American Idol (Interscope is the show’s music partner) rather than MTV or Vevo. If there’s a plan, says Oseary, it was for the music to speak for itself, and thanks to the current popularity of EDM (electronic dance music), it seems the former Danceteria regular is having her day yet again — and at 53 years old.

“Anyone who can have a career as long and as healthy, strong and consistent as Madonna’s, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime artist,” says Interscope Geffen A&M chairman Jimmy Iovine. “It’s incredible what she’s done. You can have an act earn money like her, but you can’t have a career like that.”

Curiously, though her touring sets have featured many of her greatest hits, sometimes going deep into the catalog, like her first No. 1 dance smash, 1983′s “Burning Up,” Oseary says both he and Madonna rarely look back themselves. The decades spent at Warner Bros.? They hardly gave it a second thought when “friend” Jimmy Iovine came into the picture. “I have a lot of faith in him,” says the 39-year-old Israel-born Oseary. “I didn’t shop a deal. I didn’t go meet with every label and play the field. I was pretty confident with [Universal Music Group chairman and CEO] Lucian [Grainge] and Jimmy as partners.” (Iovine returns the admiration, telling THR, “Guy is honest, straight-headed and talented — a great combination.”) Besides, adds Oseary, “One of the things that I’ve learned working with Madonna is you just move forward. It’s really rare that she ever brings up the past.”

On this album cycle, she really doesn’t need to “go retro” as so many veteran artists do. Always one step ahead of the latest sounds and production trends (Martin Solveig, Benny Benassiand William Orbit were each enlisted for their studio skills on multiple MDNA tracks), her brand of dance music meets delectable pop comes at a perfect time, just as EDM has, to put it plainly, taken over. “Dance music is Madonna’s base,” says Oseary, who can’t recall exactly how many club hits she’s had but knows it’s more than 40. “It’s what she likes, it’s what she listens to. It’s not anything other than that. She doesn’t read what’s on the charts. And if it’s on time, great. This is who she is.”

Still, there are those pesky detractors who insist Madonna’s MDNA motif — from the cheerleader costume she wears in the video for “Give Me All Your Luvin’” to the album’s title to her Ultra appearance just before midnight on March 24, are simply age-inappropriate, a slag Oseary doesn’t take to kindly. “Didn’t Lionel Richie just make a country album?” he barks. “God bless him, I love Lionel, but how come no one is yelling at him? The ageism criticism is getting old. It’s, like, let’s just talk about the music. Do you like it?”

Clearly, people do, what with first week sales of MDNA beating her last studio effort, 2008′s Hard Candy, by more than 50 percent — her best showing in over a decade. Partly to thank: a U.S. promotion where customers who bought a concert ticket had the option to receive the album as part of their purchase. These opt-in sales counted towards the chart’s tally, according to Billboard. And Oseary says she’s also engaging more with her fans. Although Madonna has been reluctant to hop on the Twitter bandwagon, she’s logged on for one-night events (a second is coming up on Wednesday at 10 p.m.; the handle: @MadonnaMDNAday) and fielded hundreds of questions from fans, no doubt convinced by active tweeter Oseary.

All the awareness when you add the Super Bowl audience to that of Facebook and Twitter users coupled with a Smirnoff-sponsored dance contest that provides key primetime television advertising and an international tour kicking off May 29 in Tel Aviv, and you’re looking at more than a billion potential impressions within four months time.

But while the numbers make for a nice security blanket, positive reception from critics, fans and peers is ultimately how Oseary quantifies success, and so far, he’s more than pleased. “People are really digging it,” he says. “We feel good about the album, I’m proud of the work she’s done, [the EDM community] is giving the love back. It’s her 12th album and the same story she had 30 years ago. That’s an amazing accomplishment.”

Billboard

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Actually I am very happy for Madonna. I'm just pushing buttons. I like to give Prince credit. But I'm teasing U die hard Madonna fans. No harm here

More MDNA Number Ones Worldwide
MDNA - Madonna lands another Number One album worldwide as MDNA enters atop the Chart in Canada selling 32,000 units. Her previous album ranked from the 17,000 copies of the Celebration collection and the 18,000 units of American Life to the higher numbers of Music (50,300), Hard Candy (58,000) and Ray of Light (59,900) and the record 74,000 copies sold by Confessions on a Dance Floor.

MDNA also debuts at Number 1 in the charts of the Czech Republic and Slovakia.
Both the Slovak and the Czech Album charts have been mashed together this year by the IFPI branch of both countries, so there is one official chart but they still count the positions as separate countries. On the singles charts, they still have separate top 100 singles for each country.

In Croatia, MDNA debuts on the Top of both the foreign artists and the overall albums chart.

In Brazil MDNA has been certified both Gold and Platinum by the Associaçao Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos.

The new album enters at Number 2 in the Swiss Albums Chart behind local act Züri West - but outselling both Unheiling and Silbermond - two very strong competitors in the country.

In Argentina the Deluxe Edition of MDNA is on top of the chart after entering at #5 last week while the Standard edition debuts at #5 this week.

In Spain Madonna enters the Official Spanish Chart at Number 1... yet another #1 for MDNA - and a Gold certification for sales of 20,000 copies.

MDNA is also Number 1 in the Mexican unofficial Mix-Up chart, a good sign towards the Official album chart to be released later this week.

In more news from Japan following yesterday's report on the overall Oricon chart, not only MDNA is #1 on their official International Artists Album chart (and #4 at the overall one), but The Complete Studio Album set is also #2 on the list, placing Madonna on the first two spots of the chart.

Possible MDNA Tour Set List?

Where did you find that?

Madonna's Twitter Pic

aardvark15 said:

Where did you find that?

http://madonnascrapbook.blogspot.com/

purplethunder3121 said:

Possible MDNA Tour Set List?

interesting!

[Edited 4/5/12 0:02am]

Madonna Hires ‘Decoy Clones’ for MDNA Tour

by: Amy Sciarretto
April 3, 2012



Multiple Madonnas? That’d be a dream come true for her legion of fans. But alas, there is only one Material Girl and in order to protect her privacy, she is employing lookalikes. Madge has reportedly hired a smattering of decoys and clones so as to confuse paparazzi and keep them at bay while she embarks on her ‘MDNA’ world tour next month.

The National Enquirer (thanks NME!) reports that Madonna is not interested in having the pap’s flashbulbs going off in her face, In effort to throw them off the scent — which likely smells like her new fragrance, Truth or Dare — she’s hired five decoys to keep photographers away from the real thing.

“It was her own idea and she conceived it both for protection and to stay private while enjoying down time,” an insider told the tab about Madge’s decision. “Five ladies will be made up to look like dead ringers.”

But the doppelgangers won’t just look like the singer. Madonna is apparently giving them lessons on how to walk, talk and act like her. So these will be Madge clones. It’s serious business for the singer if she is going to all this trouble.

The source also said, “On the tour, her ‘clone quintet’ will be sent out ahead of her to act as diversions when she exits hotels, restaurants, concert halls, or any public venue. It’s a brilliant decoy plan, and she’s betting it will work!”

Madonna may be onto something with “paparazzi test,” but we bet that a wily pap will still end up with a snap of her some how or some way. Let’s hope the decoys don’t do anything Madge wouldn’t. Then she may have to fend off the gossip and rumor mill if one of the faux Madonnas gets herself in some trouble.

purplethunder3121 said:

[Edited 4/5/12 0:02am]

"That's for making me work so hard motherfucker!"

MADONNA BACKS FAN CALLS FOR TARANTINO VIDEO

Madonna has backed the fan campaign to convince Quentin Tarantino to direct the video for new track Gang Bang, admitting she is "waiting for his call".

‏The pop superstar recently revealed her dream promo for her upcoming single, explaining, "I have the whole thing worked out. All Quentin has to do is show up with a camera. I can't afford a director's fee."

Fans flocked to Facebook to back a campaign to get Tarantino involved with the project, and Madonna is hoping they will convince the moviemaker to find a gap in his schedule for her.

In a Twitter chat with fans last night Madonna told followers, "He's shooting a movie til June. That's no excuse. I'm still waiting for his call."

Linking to the Facebook campaign page, she noted, "This is very cool - just love it."

When one fan asked, "If you could be a fly on the wall, who would you spy on?", Madonna replied: "I would follow Quentin Tarantino around for a day and see if he is really too busy to direct Gang Bang."

And last but not least, she had the artwork creadted by Steven Leven as the profile picture from facebook.com/TarantinoForGangBang on the cake her team surprised her with yesterday, to celebrate MDNA's Number One debut on the Billboard 200.

Based on an article by Contactmusic.

[Edited 4/5/12 17:16pm]

On pace to sell 45K next week hmmmmmm...

IIAGY said:

On pace to sell 45K next week hmmmmmm...

thats to be expected...

CNN article: Why Madonna still leads, others follow

(CNN) -- I thought she was over. Madonna, that is.

I thought she was too old to be referring to herself as a "girl." I thought pop music passed her by. I thought Lady Gaga had killed her.

And then I look at this week's Billboard chart and I see I thought wrong.

Her 12th CD, "MDNA" debuted No. 1 on the album chart and she has two singles on the dance-chart Top 10. She's 53 and the clubs are banging her new stuff, including "Give Me All Your Luvin," which became her 38th top 10 hit on the pop chart. For those of you keeping score, that's more than Elvis, more than The Beatles. I'm not saying she's better, but clearly she's done -- correction -- doing more.

This year she won another Golden Globe and her halftime performance at the Super Bowl drew more viewers than the game itself, according to Nielsen. I know the perception is that only gay men care about Madonna, but if that were true, given the 114 million viewers who tuned in to watch her at halftime, maybe "don't ask, don't tell" should have been called "just assume."

The reality is it's hard for pop music to leave behind someone who keeps leading the pack. Madonna had the highest grossing tour ever for a solo artist (2008) and has sold more than 300 million records worldwide. She's an '80s child whose 2005 single "Hung Up" holds the Guinness Book record for topping the charts in 41 countries, while 2012's MDNA was No. 1 on iTunes in 40 countries.

That's not "over," that's now.

When you look at where Madonna's career is today in the same week we learned Whitney Houston drowned in a foot of water, you're reminded that God truly does work in mysterious ways. The two pop icons released debut albums within two years of each other, Madonna in 1983 and Houston in 1985.

Of course, Houston was the former model with a voice for the ages, while Madonna was the thin-voiced tart rolling around on the floor of the MTV music awards in a wedding dress proclaiming that she felt like a virgin. If anyone might have been expected to meet a desperate, tragic end, back then the safe money would have been on Madonna. And yet Houston's gone, Michael Jackson's gone, Prince is semi-retired and everyone else, with the exception of U2, is making their money off nostalgia.

Meanwhile, Madonna has methodically become, arguably, the greatest recording artist of all time. Who would've thunk it?

As for the music, her latest CD is not breaking any new ground, but it does remind everyone who owns the ground Gaga, Rihanna, Beyonce and others are walking on. In fact, each time they receive a royalty check, they should be sending Madonna a cut.

While MDNA is about three songs too long for my taste, I will tell you the first five songs make it very difficult not to want to dance, and that the track "Gang Bang" is pure genius. As you could probably figure out from the title, it's not radio friendly, but likely not because of what you may think. And that, in a nutshell, is why Madonna is who she is.

You can tell you're watching a Woody Allen film with the first five minutes of dialogue. You can identify the beautiful prose of Toni Morrison within a couple of pages. But my 15-year-old came home one day and asked who I was listening to. I told him Madonna and my son, who loves techno and hip hop, thought I was joking.

"Seriously... like your Madonna?" he asked.

"Yep," I said.

"Well, she's still old but that song's not."

The song was "Gang Bang" and I'm glad he left the room before she started singing. As I said, it's not radio friendly. But then again, it wouldn't be Madonna if a song like that was.

Follow us on Twitter: @CNNOpinion.

Join us at Facebook/CNNOpinion.

MDNA Tops the United World Chart
As we predicted last week, Madonna’s MDNA is now jumping from #27 to the top of the United World Chart, selling more than 740,000 copies worldwide, in its first week.
The album is now #1 in the Album Charts of around 25 countries including the USA, the UK, Italy and many more.
Here’s a chart recap of how MDNA is doing around the world…

United World Chart – #1
USA – #1
Canada – #1
UK #1
Australia – #1
Argentina – #1
Mexico – #1
Italy – #1 [also charted The Complete Studio Albums (#19), Celebration (#33), True Blue (#82) and the Sticky & Sweet Tour (#94)]
Spain – #1
Hong Kong – #1
Greece – #1
Lebanon – #1
Poland – #1 (certified Gold)
Singapore – #1
Thailand – #1
Czech Republic – #1
Slovakia – #1
Croatia – #1
Belgium (Flanders) – #1
Brazil – #1 (certified both Gold and Platinum)
Finland – #1
Hungary – #1 (for a second week)
Wales – #1
Ireland – #1
Israel – #1
Netherlands – #1
Sweden – #1

Denmark – #2
Austria – #2
France – #2
Norway – #2
Switzerland – #2

Belgium (Wallonia) – #3
South Korea – #3

Taiwan – #6
Slovenia – #7

MDNA Tops the United World Charts at #1

http://www.mediatraffic.de/

Global Chart Report Madonna and Justin's boyfriend lead Friday, April 6, 2012 by Fred Chuchel, Dresden As expected Madonna's 12th studio album 'Mdna' bows easily at the top spot of the global album chart after first week sales of 740.000 copies. This is much more than her former effort, the best-of album

'Celebration' sold in its best week (323.000 copies, week 41 / 2009), and only slightly less than her last studio-album 'Hard Candy' moved in its best week (758.000 copies, week 21 / 2008). 'Mdna' is Madonna's first effort at the Interscope label. At the same time Rhino released a box with all Madonna's former studio albums, which sold 25.000 units last week. That's enough for no.39 on the tally, and we ought place all these 11 albums at this position, but that's against our chart-rules. So we arranged the sets according to their importance (sales). That's why 'True Blue' is at no.39 and 'Like A Virgin' at no.40, following by 'Ray Of Light' (no.41), 'Like A Prayer' (no.42), 'Music' (no.43), 'Madonna' (no.44), 'Confessions On A Dancefloor' (no.45), 'Bedtime Stories' (no.46), 'Erotica' (no.47), 'Evita' (no.48) and 'Hard Candy' (no.49). Adele's '21' slides at no.3 (down 8% to 228.000 copies), its lowest position and sales frame this year so far. Sandwiched between Madonna and Adele bows the seven-member Japanese boy band Kis-My-Ft2 with their first set 'Kis-My-1st' (254.000 sales). American rock-act Shinedown arrives at no.5 with this week's second highest new-entry, 'Amaryllis' (124.000). Outside the top debuting Porno Graffitti's 'Panorama Porno' at no.12 (57.000), CN Blue's 'Ear Fun' at no.13 (56.000), Silbermond's 'Himmel Auf' at no.19 (44.000), Iron Maiden's 'En Vivo! Live At Estadio Nacional, Santiago' at no.23 (40.000), Mars Volta's 'Noctourniquet' at no.26 (37.000), The Used's 'Vulnerable' at no.27 (35.000), Meshuggah's 'Koloss' at no.32 (28.000) and All American Rejects' 'Kids In The Street' at no.38 (25.000). COMPLETE GLOBAL ALBUM CHART

xperience319 said:

IIAGY said:

On pace to sell 45K next week hmmmmmm...

thats to be expected...

A ~90% decline is expected?

I guess it is, when you give away your album for free to make the numbers look better. Even Lady Gaga's album didn't tank that bad after selling it for $.99 on Amazon.

IIAGY said:

xperience319 said:

thats to be expected...

A ~90% decline is expected?

I guess it is, when you give away your album for free to make the numbers look better. Even Lady Gaga's album didn't tank that bad after selling it for $.99 on Amazon.

still doesnt change the fact, yes its gonna happen even with your gaga flame bait

most ass kissing cnn article i have ever read...what does whitney being dead or mj and prince is not semi retired smh

IDRAG4MJ said:

most ass kissing cnn article i have ever read...what does whitney being dead or mj and prince is not semi retired smh

yeah,that article is a little extreme but it's not entirely untrue.Look at all the artists who were "hot" in the 80s along with Madonna.How many of them are still having Number One albums and selling out stadiums?

SoulAlive said:

IDRAG4MJ said:

most ass kissing cnn article i have ever read...what does whitney being dead or mj and prince is not semi retired smh

yeah,that article is a little extreme but it's not entirely untrue.Look at all the artists who were "hot" in the 80s along with Madonna.How many of them are still having Number One albums and selling out stadiums?

Well, the only one I think of is Madonna, and maybe U2 & Bruce Springsteen, but that's it.

I really like the article, because I totally agree with it.

IDRAG4MJ said:

most ass kissing cnn article i have ever read...what does whitney being dead or mj and prince is not semi retired smh

The article said she was possibly the "Greatest recording artist of all time" lol. That was a little much. It's so funny though, back in the day, the media wasn't very kind to Madonna to put it nicely but now they've gone the other extreme in costantly kissing her ass. It's funny that the article should mention Whitney and MJ though as their sales and fanbase were quite strong and definitely rivaled Madonna, yet the media really didn't talk about that. Just the negatives. Aside from U2, Michael and Whitney were probably the only two especially Mike who could rival Madonna in terms of selling out stadiums and have high album sales to go along with it, so Madonna was not the only one from the 80's who is still selling well as the media likes to claim. Whitney's last album for instance sold well, but the media wanted to focus on her troubles only.

Anyway, the article as Soul said is not entirely untrue. Regardless as to if you like Madonna or not, what she has accomplished and continues to accomplish is impressive. You have to give credit where it's due.

Cinnamon234 said:

IDRAG4MJ said:

most ass kissing cnn article i have ever read...what does whitney being dead or mj and prince is not semi retired smh

The article said she was possibly the "Greatest recording artist of all time" lol. That was a little much. It's so funny though, back in the day, the media wasn't very kind to Madonna to put it nicely but now they've gone the other extreme in costantly kissing her ass. It's funny that the article should mention Whitney and MJ though as their sales and fanbase were quite strong and definitely rivaled Madonna, yet the media really didn't talk about that. Just the negatives. Aside from U2, Michael and Whitney were probably the only two especially Mike who could rival Madonna in terms of selling out stadiums and have high album sales to go along with it, so Madonna was not the only one from the 80's who is still selling well as the media likes to claim. Whitney's last album for instance sold well, but the media wanted to focus on her troubles only.

Anyway, the article as Soul said is not entirely untrue. Regardless as to if you like Madonna or not, what she has accomplished and continues to accomplish is impressive. You have to give credit where it's due.

A little? That has to be the most funniest shit Ive ever heard

That is why she is labeled as being the most overrated artist of all time because... she is. The fact that she really has no real raw talent and has accomplished alot is very impressive. I think she gets accolades while her other more talented African American peers get trashed is because shes white.. sorry but .. its true. Its almost ridiculous.

mjscarousal said:

Cinnamon234 said:

The article said she was possibly the "Greatest recording artist of all time" lol. That was a little much. It's so funny though, back in the day, the media wasn't very kind to Madonna to put it nicely but now they've gone the other extreme in costantly kissing her ass. It's funny that the article should mention Whitney and MJ though as their sales and fanbase were quite strong and definitely rivaled Madonna, yet the media really didn't talk about that. Just the negatives. Aside from U2, Michael and Whitney were probably the only two especially Mike who could rival Madonna in terms of selling out stadiums and have high album sales to go along with it, so Madonna was not the only one from the 80's who is still selling well as the media likes to claim. Whitney's last album for instance sold well, but the media wanted to focus on her troubles only.

Anyway, the article as Soul said is not entirely untrue. Regardless as to if you like Madonna or not, what she has accomplished and continues to accomplish is impressive. You have to give credit where it's due.

A little? That has to be the most funniest shit Ive ever heard

That is why she is labeled as being the most overrated artist of all time because... she is. The fact that she really has no real raw talent and has accomplished alot is very impressive. I think she gets accolades while her other more talented African American peers get trashed is because shes white.. sorry but .. its true. Its almost ridiculous.

[img:$uid]http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/400982_10150596371028774_797148773_8940683_1406474244_n.jpg[/img:$uid]

errant said:

mjscarousal said:

A little? That has to be the most funniest shit Ive ever heard

That is why she is labeled as being the most overrated artist of all time because... she is. The fact that she really has no real raw talent and has accomplished alot is very impressive. I think she gets accolades while her other more talented African American peers get trashed is because shes white.. sorry but .. its true. Its almost ridiculous.

[img:$uid]http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/400982_10150596371028774_797148773_8940683_1406474244_n.jpg[/img:$uid]